This is an 18 month contract to join the RSA’s Food Farming and Countryside Commission, an ambitious independent inquiry to shape the future of the UK’s food and farming systems as we embark on the process of exiting the EU. The Commission is located in the RSA’s Action and Research Centre, whose aim is to influence policy and practice, blending the best of the think tank with practical actions for sustainable change. Citizens will be at the heart of the Commission process, giving voice to those whose voices are not always heard in these debates. The Commission will build a mandate for change, putting forward pragmatic and sustainable policies for central and local government and developing a vision that resonates with communities, stakeholders and the wider public.

In this role, you will design and lead an ambitious and innovative programme of citizen and community engagement across the UK, to inform the research and policy work of the Commission. You will be responsible for our ‘engagement’ contracts, on our action research projects around the UK, and for our mainstream and social media engagement strategy and implementation.

You will be a skilled and seasoned practitioner in engaging and involving the public and communities in complex, contested issues, leading to innovative and practical changes. You will be knowledgeable about food, farming and the countryside, able to inspire confidence in a wide variety of stakeholders. You will have excellent communication skills, able to speak with authority and impact in a variety of settings, from community events, to specialist, expert meetings. You should be experienced in designing robust action research processes (or other participatory research methodologies) and be able to contribute outputs from these to the Commission’s overall research. You will be a good team worker, valuing colleagues’ contributions, working well under pressure and prepared for frequent work away from London.

Building on our 250 year history as a beacon for enlightenment values, the RSA is currently at an exciting period in its history. We provide platforms for leading experts through the UK’s most ambitious free public lecture series, our projects generate new models for tackling the social challenges of today, and our network of over 29,000 Fellows around the world is a community committed to progressive and sustainable social change.

How to apply

To apply for this position please download the application pack from the RSA website and prepare your CV and a covering letter clearly addressing how you meet the criteria for the role as set out in the person specification and stating your current salary. You may address your covering letter to Sue Pritchard, Director of RSA Food Farming & Countryside Commission.

The deadline for completed applications is 10 am Friday 24 November 2017Please note that we cannot accept late or incomplete applications. Interviews are expected to take place onFriday 1 December 2017. Please note that due to the volume of applications, we can only consider candidates who apply through the online application process.

Valuing diversity is essential to the RSA's work. We aim to exemplify and promote equality legislation, recognising discrimination as a barrier to equality of opportunity, inclusion and human rights. All colleagues are required to ensure their behaviour is consistent with our policies. As an equal opportunities employer our commitment is to take positive measures to recruit people from underrepresented groups, and we actively encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds. We are happy to discuss flexible working.

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